Brownfields Success in New England Mattapan Community Health Center, Boston, MA

Unci & Community Revit^Iization
BROWNF1 ELDS SUCCESS IN NEW ENGLAND
MATTAPAN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER,
Mattapan, Massachusetts
gas station were demolished and filled to grade in 1953 and
1978, respectively. The cleanup effort successfully removed
hazardous building materials, remediated contaminated soil, and
removed underground storage tanks, reservoirs, and pistons.
A cap, which makes up part of the parking area and a portion of
the building's foundation and basement, completes the cleanup
effort.
Motivation for Redevelopment: Mattapan is a culturally-rich
and diverse Boston neighborhood comprised of a large
immigrant population and of a growing, yet tight-knit family-
based community. The new health center sits on a property
consolidated from seven separate parcels. Combined with the
new public library, this project embarks on an effort to capitalize
Li.
ARRA EPA Brownfields Cleanup
Revolving Loan Fund Grant (BRA):
New Markets Tax Credit Equity:
Private Loan:
Philanthropic Campaign:
Leveraged Funds:
ARRA HRSA Facilities Improvement
Program (FIP) grant:
Provided over 600 construction and permanent jobs, many of
which are held by local residents.
The new health facility houses a bank and a pharmacy on the
ground floor. The pharmacy is the first of its kind to arrive in
Mattapan Square in more than thirty years.
Striving for LEED Silver certification.
$400,000
$4,528,207
$5,200,000
$12,000,0000
$11,550,000
Address: 1575 Blue Hill Avenue, Mattapan, MA02126
Size: 7 parcels in 1.35 acres
Former Use: Bank and retail businesses; social hall;
gasoline station; auto body repair business
Contaminants: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs),
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs),
polyeyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs),
semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs),
asbestos, metals, chlorfluorocarbons iC.TCsi
Current Use: Health care facility, pharmacy, bank
Owner: Mattapan Health Center Reality, Inc.
Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA); U.S. Health
Resources and Services Administration (HRSA); Boston
Medical Center; The Ricliard and Susan Smith Family
Foundation; Massachusetts General Hospital; The Kresge
Foundation; Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts;
Partners HealthCare; RBS Citizens Bank
Motivation for Redevelopment: Mattapan is a culturally-rich
and diverse Boston neighborhood comprised of a large
immigrant population and of a growing, yet tight-knit family
based community. The new health center sits on a property
consolidated from seven separate parcels. Combined with the
new public library, this project embarks on an effort to capitalize
on the community's strong architectural character, to provide
high quality transportation nodes, to invest in new infrastructure,
and to connect to the Neponset River greenway.
Mattapan Community Health Center (MCHC) was established in
1972, during which it has been the only support to a low-income,
medically-underserved community facing some of Boston's most
serious health problems. MCHC's patient population experiences
high rates of Vitamin D deficiency; a higher percentage of
premature and low birth-weight babies; more deaths related to
heart disease, lung cancer, HIV/AIDS, and homicides than
elsewhere in Boston; and a greater population suffering from
diabetes, obesity, and sexually-transmitted diseases. The
Mattapan neighborhood continues to be in dire need of
affordable, comprehensive, accessible, and culturally-appropriate
health care services. The health center's worn and overcrowded
building made it difficult to meet demands for clinical care,
public health imperatives, and behavioral health care. Between
2004 and 2006, the Mattapan Economic Development Initiative
(MEDI) utilized $250,000 to articulate economic priorities and to
create an implementable development plan. One key feature was
enhanced zoning for Mattapan Square to better equip under-
utilized parcels for dense mixed-use development, which is
exemplified at MCHC.
Property History: Beginning in 1888, the properties supported
dwellings and a barn. During the 1930s, the sites were developed
for commercial use, which included a gas station with
underground storage tanks, a bank, retail establishments, a social
hall, a cleaning store, and auto repair businesses. The barn and a
Project Results: This approximately $34 million state-of-the-art
facility lias capacity to accommodate expanded clinical, dental,
and lab needs of its existing patients as well as new patients in
Mattapan and surrounding communities. It is projected that the
health center will be able to more than double the number of
patients and triple the number of visits. Additionally, the building
includes two ground-floor commercial spaces, ultimately
providing even more jobs and sendees to the community. The
redevelopment remediated a large swath of contaminated land
within a downtown district in one concerted effort, which
effectively removed a majority of the area's public health threat.
Above all, the greatest assets of the MCHC's "healthy building"
are the most intangible. For the first time, residents feel
supported by federal, state, and city government as well as
assured that they are receiving the best care possible. As a source
of pride for the neighborhood, the new health center is a strong
first step toward delivering a healthier future to Mattapan.
Timeline
Mar 2009 Phase IESA completed (excl. 1563 Blue Hill Ave)
July 2009 Phase II ESA completed (excl. 1563 Blue Hill Ave)
Apr 2010 Expanded Phase II ESA completed
Aug 2010 Phase IESA completed (for 1563 Blue Hill Ave)
Oct 2010 Further ESA study
Jan. 2011 Construction began
July 2012 Citizens Bank doors opened
Aug. 2012 MCHC and CVS doors opened
Aug. 2012 Cleanup complete
Sept. 2012 Grand opening and ribbon cutting
July 2012
Local Contact: Kathleen Pedersen, Boston Redevelopment Authority • (617) 918-4294 • Kathleen.pedersen.br.a@cityofboston.gov

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